Spain Storm Damage: Agricultural Losses & Government Response

Storm Marta Devastates Agriculture Across Iberian Peninsula

Severe storms, including Storm Marta, have caused widespread and catastrophic damage to agriculture across Spain and Portugal, with preliminary estimates reaching hundreds of millions of euros in losses. Farmers are reporting submerged fields, destroyed crops, and significant disruption to livelihoods as the Iberian Peninsula continues to grapple with extreme weather.

According to Portugal’s agriculture ministry, losses in the agricultural and forestry sectors are currently estimated at around 750 million euros ($890 million) as of Friday, February 13, 2026. The storms have intensified in recent days, forcing over 11,000 people to evacuate their homes in Spain’s southern Andalusia region and closing nearly 170 roads across Spain. Rail services in Portugal have also been disrupted.

Farmers in Spain warned on Saturday, February 7, 2026, that torrential rains and high winds had left fields submerged and caused millions of euros worth of damage to crops. Miguel Angel Perez, of the farmers organisation COAG in Andalusia’s Cadiz province, described the situation as a “real natural catastrophe,” stating that crops like broccoli, carrots, and cauliflowers are underwater across thousands of hectares. Perez indicated that farmers will seek government help to recover from the devastation.

The Spanish state weather agency AEMET issued an orange weather warning – the second highest alert level – on Saturday, February 7, 2026, forecasting snow, hazardous coastal conditions, and continued rainfall. The adverse weather also led to the postponement of a top-flight soccer match between Sevilla and Girona.

The impact is particularly acute in Andalusia, where agriculture is expected to be around 20% affected, with losses exceeding €520 million in the province of Cádiz alone, according to estimates from Asaja. Weeks of rainfall have brought both relief to reservoirs and major disruption to farms throughout the region.

The Spanish government is working to offer an effective and agile response to the damage caused by the storms, and Agriculture Minister Luis Planas has requested that the European Union mobilize the agricultural reserve to support farmers in the Andalusian region.

Reconstruction plans are already underway in Andalusia, with the regional government confirming We see designing a wide-ranging strategy to mitigate the damage caused to agriculture, infrastructure, tourism, and commerce. Minister of Economy, Finance and European Funds, Carolina España, stated that the Junta de Andalucía “will spare no resources” to help those affected, and that the regional budget could be reprogrammed if necessary.

Farming organizations, including COAG Andalucía, are calling for urgent aid, tax reductions, and exemptions from property tax to help alleviate the financial burden on farmers. The long-term recovery process is expected to be extensive, with significant repairs needed to infrastructure and a substantial impact on the region’s economy.

As of February 10, 2026, thousands of residents in Andalusia remain unable to return home, and authorities continue to monitor the situation as new weather fronts loom.